title: Femoroacetabular impingement: is hyaluronic acid effective?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Femoroacetabular impingement may predispose to the development of hip osteoarthritis. Conservative treatments are effective in the short term, but surgery is often required. Aim of this paper was to report the short-term results on hip pain and function after ultrasound-guided injections of hyaluronic acid.
  
  
  METHODS
  In this open prospective trial, twenty patients suffering from mild femoroacetabular impingement were enrolled. Each patient received a 2-ml intra-articular ultrasound-guided injection of hyaluronic acid at baseline and after 40 days; the same dosing schedule was repeated after 6 months. The clinical evaluation was performed at baseline and after 6 and 12 months of follow-up. Pain score, Lequesne Index, Harris Hip Score and anti-inflammatory medication consumption were measured. Adverse events were also registered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-three hips (3 bilateral cases) were treated. Pain decreased from 6.7 ± 1.3 to 3.7 ± 1.8 and to 1.7 ± 1.8 after 6 and 12 months, respectively; Lequesne Index was reduced and the mean Harris Hip Score improved from 83.3 ± 6 before treatment to 88.2 ± 4.7 at 12 months. Consumption of anti-inflammatory drugs was also reduced, from 14 to 4 subjects and from 3.6 ± 2.2 to 1.3 ± 1.3 tablets/week. Local side effects after injection were observed only in 2 cases.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hyaluronic acid is safe and effective in the treatment of mild femoroacetabular impingement, with significant pain reduction and function improvement.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medicine and Science of Aging, University G. d'Annunzio Chieti-Pescara, Via dei Vestini 31, 66013, Chieti Scalo, CH, Italy, m.abate@unich.it.
authors.forename: Michele
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Abate
authors.forename: Tommaso
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Scuccimarra
authors.forename: Daniele
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Vanni
authors.forename: Andrea
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pantalone
authors.forename: Vincenzo
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Salini
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018771:Arthralgia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005260:Female; D057925:Femoracetabular Impingement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000188:drug therapy*; D006621:Hip Joint; D006801:Humans; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007270:Injections, Intra-Articular; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010147:Pain Measurement; D011446:Prospective Studies; D020127:Recovery of Function; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D018084:Ultrasonography, Interventional; D055675:Viscosupplements / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D055675:Viscosupplements; D006820:Hyaluronic Acid